Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection
announced today that Global Entry kiosks are now available at CBP preclearance
at Vancouver International Airport and Ottawa’s MacDonald-Cartier Airport, and
will be available at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport and Toronto’s
Lester B. Pearson International Airport by September.
The placement of Global Entry kiosks at Canadian preclearance
locations is part of the integration of the Global Entry and NEXUS Trusted
Traveler programs.
The integration of the Global Entry and NEXUS programs began in
December 2010, when CBP published a Federal Register Notice announcing that
NEXUS members could participate in Global Entry. With the deployment of Global
Entry kiosks to Canadian preclearance, Global Entry members will be able to
take advantage of the program when returning home from Canada. NEXUS members,
who have Global Entry benefits, have the option of using either the Global
Entry or NEXUS kiosks in preclearance.
“Having Global Entry kiosks at CBP preclearance sites in Canada
is another step we are taking to facilitate Global Entry and NEXUS members
traveling into the U.S.,” said Office of Field Operations Assistant
Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski. “Trusted traveler members will now be able to
enjoy this benefit as CBP officers concentrate on those travelers who we know
less about and who may pose a risk to our homeland.”
Global Entry is a voluntary pilot program that streamlines the
international arrivals process for pre-approved travelers through use of self
service kiosks located at 20 major U.S. airports. The pilot program is an
alternative to regular passport processing procedures, allowing members to
bypass the regular line, and currently reduces average wait times by 70
percent. To date, Global Entry members have used the kiosks more than one
million times.
Global Entry is available to U.S. citizens and U.S lawful
permanent residents, as well as Mexican nationals. Citizens of the Netherlands
may also apply under a special reciprocal arrangement that links Global Entry
with the Dutch Privium program in Amsterdam. Canadian citizens and residents
may participate in Global Entry through membership in the NEXUS program.
Applications to Global Entry must first be submitted online. ( Global
Entry ) A
non-refundable fee of $100 is also collected via the website for a five year
membership. Applicants must then complete an in-person interview, at any of the
Global Entry enrollment centers, where fingerprints are collected.
Once enrolled in the pilot program, Global Entry members may
proceed directly to the kiosks in the inspection services area. At the kiosk,
members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document
reader, provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints on file,
answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk’s touch-screen, and then
present a transaction receipt to CBP officers before leaving the inspection
area.
Preclearance offers a convenience to travelers arriving in the
U.S. by completing all customs, immigration and agriculture inspections prior
to arriving at a U.S. port of entry. When pre-cleared passengers arrive in the
U.S. they can use domestic terminals and/or connect to their domestic flights
without further processing.
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, because of the heavy damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami to the region, there are little or no products are currently being exported from the affected area. Products generally travel by vessel, and the typical transit time for products to reach the U.S. is about 8 days.
FDA’s import tracking system has been programmed to automatically flag all shipments of FDA-regulated products from Japan, and the Agency maintains a registry of companies that prepare, pack, manufacture, or hold food for intended consumption in the U.S. The Agency will be paying special attention to shipments from those companies in the affected area.
Standard operating procedure requires shippers to submit and FDA to receive prior notice of a shipment before the arrival of any shipments of FDA-regulated food/feed products. FDA’s Prior Notice Center (PNC) enables the agency to stop these products upon arrival at the U.S. border or before they are distributed in U.S. commerce if a credible threat is identified for any shipment.
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents routinely use radiation detection equipment to screen food imports, cargo, and travelers. This screening helps identify and resolve potential safety or security risks. FDA is working with CBP to determine if their Automated Targeting System can assist in identifying shipments of FDA-regulated products, other than food, originating from Japan before they arrive so that these shipments can be better targeted for examination. FDA’s import staff will review each shipment of regulated goods originating from Japan and determine if it should be examined and sampled or released.
If you have questions with regards to this new process, please contact your Bay Brokerage Inc. account manager or call our headquarters at 1-315-482-6161